The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Recap: 6 Ups & 4 Downs From "Years"

Because it tells its story through Rick's voiceover - which we quickly learn is him writing unsent letters to Michonne in an attempt to feel close to her again (aww) - "Years" dives through its story bafflingly quickly, with its jumps through time and place enough to give someone whiplash. 

Following Rick from his early days of "working" for the CRM, desperately trying to escape at every opportunity, the premiere takes place over a whopping six-year period. In one hour, Rick goes from suicidal prisoner to CRM soldier, from broken soul to military leader. His motivations never change - all Rick wants is what he's always wanted, to be with his family - but his despair doesn't last too long, and his role in creating a new city for his oppressors later in the episode is skipped through like a montage, despite it clearly being a major part of his new life. 

There's a chance your writer's being too harsh here, since the show still has a ways to go and can always come back here when it needs to, but right now it's hard to reconcile so much happening in such a short period of time. 

And now, for what "Years" does best...